Social Media Stuck? How to Refresh Your Strategy

Is Your Social Media Strategy Stuck in 2020?

Are you tired of social media strategies that promise the world but deliver only crickets? Do you feel like you’re throwing money into a black hole with no return on investment? The reality is, many marketing professionals and business owners struggle to keep up with the ever-changing world of social media. That’s why the social strategy hub is the go-to resource for marketing professionals and business owners seeking cutting-edge social media strategies. But is it really the holy grail of social media marketing, or just another overhyped platform?

The Problem: Social Media Overload and Underperformance

Let’s face it: social media can feel like a giant, noisy playground. Everyone’s shouting for attention, and it’s hard to make your voice heard. I’ve seen firsthand how many businesses in the Atlanta area struggle. They’re posting content, running ads, and engaging (or trying to) with their followers, but they’re not seeing the results they want. Why? Because they’re missing a cohesive, data-driven social media strategy.

Many businesses treat social media as an afterthought, something they do when they have a few spare minutes. They post sporadically, without a clear plan or purpose. They’re not tracking their results, so they have no idea what’s working and what’s not. And they’re certainly not using social media to its full potential to drive leads, sales, and brand awareness.

What Went Wrong First: The Spray-and-Pray Approach

Before discovering a more strategic approach, I had a client, a local bakery on Peachtree Street, who was struggling with their social media. They were posting pictures of their delicious pastries on Instagram, but they weren’t seeing any increase in foot traffic or online orders. They tried running ads, but they weren’t targeting the right audience, so they were wasting money. We even experimented with influencer marketing, partnering with local food bloggers, but the results were underwhelming. They were essentially using the “spray-and-pray” approach: throwing everything at the wall and hoping something would stick.

What was missing? A solid understanding of their target audience, a clear content strategy, and a system for tracking their results. They were focusing on vanity metrics like likes and followers, instead of focusing on metrics that actually mattered, like website traffic, lead generation, and sales. This is a common mistake, and it’s one that many businesses make when they’re first starting out with social media.

The Solution: Building a Social Strategy Hub

So, how do you build a social strategy hub that actually delivers results? Here’s the step-by-step process I use with my clients:

Step 1: Define Your Goals and Target Audience

Before you do anything else, you need to define your goals. What do you want to achieve with social media? Do you want to increase brand awareness, generate leads, drive sales, or something else? Once you know your goals, you can start to identify your target audience. Who are you trying to reach? What are their interests, needs, and pain points? The more you know about your target audience, the better you’ll be able to create content that resonates with them.

For example, if you’re a local law firm specializing in personal injury cases near the Fulton County Superior Court, your target audience might be people who have been injured in car accidents or slip-and-fall accidents. They might be searching for information about their legal rights, or they might be looking for a lawyer to represent them. Understanding this allows you to tailor your content to address their specific needs and concerns.

Step 2: Choose the Right Platforms

Not all social media platforms are created equal. Some platforms are better suited for certain types of businesses and audiences than others. For instance, a business targeting Gen Z might focus on TikTok, while a business targeting professionals might focus on LinkedIn. It’s important to choose the platforms that your target audience is actually using.

Don’t spread yourself too thin by trying to be everywhere at once. It’s better to focus on a few platforms and do them well, than to try to be on every platform and do them poorly. I generally advise my clients to start with two or three platforms and then expand from there as needed. A report by the IAB shows that focusing on fewer platforms often yields higher engagement rates.

Step 3: Create a Content Calendar

A content calendar is a schedule of your social media posts. It helps you to plan your content in advance, so you’re not scrambling to come up with something to post at the last minute. Your content calendar should include the date, time, platform, and topic of each post. It should also include any relevant links or images. Using a tool like Buffer or Hootsuite can streamline this process immensely.

Your content should be a mix of different types of content, including text, images, videos, and links. It should also be relevant to your target audience and aligned with your business goals. Don’t just post about your products or services all the time. Share helpful tips, industry news, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of your company. Here’s what nobody tells you: repurposing content is your friend! Turn a blog post into a series of social media updates, or create a short video based on a frequently asked question.

Step 4: Engage with Your Audience

Social media is a two-way street. It’s not enough to just post content; you also need to engage with your audience. Respond to comments and messages, answer questions, and participate in conversations. Show your followers that you care about their opinions and that you’re listening to what they have to say.

One of the most effective ways to engage with your audience is to run contests and giveaways. These can be a great way to generate excitement and increase brand awareness. Make sure to promote your contests and giveaways on all of your social media channels. And don’t forget to follow up with the winners and thank them for participating.

Step 5: Track Your Results and Adjust Your Strategy

Tracking your results is essential for understanding what’s working and what’s not. Use social media analytics tools to track your website traffic, lead generation, and sales. Pay attention to which posts are getting the most engagement, and which platforms are driving the most traffic. Use this data to adjust your strategy and improve your results. Nielsen data consistently emphasizes the importance of data-driven decision-making in marketing.

For example, Meta Business Suite provides detailed insights into the performance of your Facebook and Instagram posts. You can see how many people saw your posts, how many people clicked on them, and how many people engaged with them. Use this information to refine your content strategy and target your ads more effectively. I had a client last year who completely revamped their social media strategy after analyzing their analytics data. They saw a 30% increase in website traffic and a 20% increase in leads within just a few months.

The Measurable Results: From Zero to Hero

Remember that bakery on Peachtree Street? After implementing a social strategy hub approach, things started to turn around. We started by defining their target audience: local residents, office workers, and tourists looking for a sweet treat. We then created a content calendar that included mouth-watering photos of their pastries, behind-the-scenes glimpses of their kitchen, and promotions for their daily specials. We also started running targeted ads on Facebook and Instagram, focusing on people who lived or worked near the bakery. The results were impressive.

Within three months, their website traffic increased by 50%, their online orders doubled, and their foot traffic increased by 25%. They were finally seeing a return on their investment in social media. More importantly, they had a system in place for continuously improving their results. By tracking their analytics data and adjusting their strategy accordingly, they were able to stay ahead of the curve and maintain their success.

We also began leveraging Instagram Reels to showcase quick, engaging videos of their baking process. This boosted their reach significantly, attracting a younger demographic that hadn’t previously considered the bakery. In addition, the bakery started using location-based targeting on Instagram, offering special discounts to users within a one-mile radius. This tactic alone increased foot traffic by 15% during slow weekday afternoons. The key takeaway here? A well-defined social strategy hub, fueled by data and tailored to your specific business needs, can transform your social media presence from a cost center to a profit center. Thinking about how to use video? Check out these Reels growth hacks.

Stop treating social media as an afterthought. Start building a social strategy hub that drives real results. Focus on providing value, engaging with your audience, and tracking your performance. Your business will thank you for it.